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NBA Picks

Wizards -4.5 over Pacers in Game 4

In one of the uglier games you'll see in the playoffs, the
Pacers showcased their defensive prowess to take a 2-1 lead in the series. The
Wizards will hope to bounce back with a better offensive effort tonight and
we've got our Game 4 pick, along with the available NBA odds, available for
viewing inside.

Odds OverviewThe spread is exactly the same for Game 4 as it was in Game
3, as Washington is favored by 4.5 points. The total has opened even lower though,
which is no surprise after what we saw two nights ago. The O/U is currently
trading at 180.5.

[gameodds]5/286089/?r3=43-19-349/dec&r-1=43-19-349/us[/gameodds]

Indiana PacersNow that's championship-level defense right there.

The Pacers executed decently well on the offensive end, but
their defensive effort was absolutely amazing. They held Washington to 32.9
percent shooting and only 63 points in a huge Game 3 victory.

Paul George was the standout for Indiana, scoring a
game-high 23 points on 6-of-15 shooting to go with eight rebounds, four
assists, three steals and a block. That more than made up for another
inefficient night from Lance Stephenson, who hit only 4-of-13 shots for nine
points.

It was good to see Roy Hibbert play well once again. He had
14 points, five rebounds and three blocks and made life difficult inside for
Nene and Marcin Gortat. That's all the Pacers want from their rim protector.

That's now four wins in their last five playoff games for
Indiana. They've found their rhythm again, especially on the defensive end
where they've made their name over the last two years. Let's see if the Pacers
lock things down once again in Game 4.

Washington WizardsThe Wizards thought they knew what top-level defense was
when they did battle with the Bulls in the first round, but it's reached a
whole new level here in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Indiana is making
life extremely difficult on this young Washington squad.

We mentioned how poor the Wizards were offensively in Game
3, but let's delve even deeper into the numbers. They hit only 4-of-16 from
beyond the arc and even struggled at the line, where they were 11-of-21 for
52.4 percent.

Both the backcourt and frontcourt found it difficult. John
Wall and Bradley Beal had 31 points combined on 12-of-32 shooting and the pair
had nine turnovers between them as well. As for Nene and Gortat, they were held
to just 12 points, a far cry from the level they had been producing at earlier
in these playoffs.

One would have to assume this offensive ineptitude, at least
on this scale, won't continue into Game 4. Wall and Beal have to be more
effective and we reckon they will be.

It wouldn't hurt to get more production out of the bench
either. The Wizards got only eight points out of their bench in Game 3 and
that's just not going to cut it. Whether it be Drew Gooden, Martell Webster, Al
Harrington, Andre Miller or Trevor Booker, someone has to step up.

Game 4 PickJordan Sharp and I are on different sides for tonight's
crucial Game 4 in the nation's capital. He's taking the generous amount of
points with the Pacers, but I look for the Wizards to get the victory both
straight up and against the spread.

We foresee a much better performance out of the Wall and
Beal combo tonight. Their inexperience has shone through over the last two
games, but we expect them to rise to the occasion in this game.